Stopper or closure member for containers



Jan. 11 1927. 1,614,236

v E. DIRUIFF STOPPER OR CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 26. 1926 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENMI? ERNEST DRUIFF -Q 92,21 3 PER -rronwex Jan. 11 1927. 1,614,236

E. DRUIFF STOPPER OR CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb 26. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RNES'T DRUIFF PEI? ATTORNEY,

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

1 UNITED STATES ERNEST DRUIFF, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

STOPPER OR CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS.

' Application fi1ed February 26, 1926, Serial No.

The present invention has relation to a stopper or closure member for a container, more particularly such a device intended primarily for closing the mouth of a liquid container such as a vacuum flask, hot water jug, or the like, the present invention having for its object to provide a stopper or closure member which is essentially hygienic and sanitary, adapted to effect a particularly efficient joint or closure with the mouth of the container, and will only dissipate a minimum amount of heat from the contents of the said container, or in those instances where the flask or container is utilized to maintain a liquid or other substance cold, it has an equal degree of efliciency.

According to the present invention I provide a stopper or closure member comprising a central body part or stem, and a surrounding annular flange or skirt pressed up or formed from'sheet metal to a tapering or slightly conical or spheroidal formation adapted to yield slightly under radial pressure and thereby closely associate itself with the mouth of the container when thrust or located therein. The upper edge of the flange or skirt is preferably reinforced by an annular wire or wires.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatory sheet of drawings, upon which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation illustrating a stopper or closure member according to this invention in position in the mouth of a vacuum flask.

Figure 2 illustrates the stopper or closure member alone in perspective.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate stoppers or closure members in part sectional elevation according to modifications of the present invention hereinafter referred to.

Figure 7 is an inverted plan of the stopper or closure member shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a still further modified stopper or closure member.

Figure 9 illustrates in sectional elevation the adaptation of a stopper or closure mem- 90,862, and in Great Britain January 7, 1926.

closing the mouth of a vacuum flask, I stamp a blank of sheet metal firstly to an inverted cup formation a preferably having a slightly conical wall opening towards the mouth as shown. The metal adjacent the mouth is afterwards or simultaneously turned outwardly and upwardly to constitute an annular conical skirt or flange, its edge a lying substantially level with the bottom of the cupped part. The said edge a of this flange or skirt is turned inwardly to locate a split wire ring Z), the ends of which are spaced a short distance apart. Attached by soldering or other suitable means to the inverted cup part, at or adjacent its base, is a screw adapted to receive a handle proper cl which is preferably a caseinogen, or aldehyde and phenol condensation product. Conveniently the handle may be permanently located by a transverse pin (Z The metal part a. a a of the stopper is preferably formed from thin sheet metal, and, in operation, when the stopper is thrust or located in the mouth of the flask, the annular flange or skirt a open at its upper part yields sufliciently to very closely associate'itself with the mouth of the flask.

In the modification Figure 3 a tubular member fis attached to the base of the cup member a and is screw-threaded to receive the handle d.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 the cup part a is initially of elongated formadle member (Z, as for instance by screwing,

whilst, in a still further modification (see Figure instead of cupping a sheet metal blank, it may be stamped or formed to an open tubular formation a having the annular flange or skirt a and such open tubular formation may be closed by the handle screwed or otherwise secured thereto with the addition, .if desired, of a disc a placed within the tubular part and attached by soldering, thereby virtually forming an inverted cup shaped part, as in the first-described arrangement.

The'handle part proper d may be of such a dimension that when the screw cover 9 (see Figure 1) is placed upon the vacuum flask h the top g of such cover will bear upon the handle cl and ensure the stopper being thrust home a correct distance within the mouth 0 of the flask.

In the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7 the cup part a has its wall corrugated as shown to strengthen it axially of the cup and to render it slightly yieldable laterally whilst in the modification shown in Figure 8 the flange or skirt a is slit or pierced as at a to increase its resilience or flexibility.

As applied to a lid such as a hinged lid for a hot water jug (see Figure 9) the present invention comprises a sheet metal blank stamped up to an inverted cup shaped for mation (1 having an annular conical flange or skirt a reinforced by a wire or strip 6 as hereinbefore mentioned. Attached, by soldering or the like, to this inverted cup formation, is a tubular member f adapted to receive, by screwing, the handle proper (Z. Before mounting the said handle proper, a disc of Erinoid or like material 2' is mounted (as shown) upon the member 7 with its lower face adjacent the upper edge of the flange or skirt a This disc 2' is preferably covered with a sheet metal dome-shaped cap 2' both disc and cap being finally located by the insertion of the handle (Z in the tubular member Conveniently the lid has a hinge j.

If desired, in any of the stoppers or closure members aforedescribed, I may introduce a washer made of a non-conductor of heat, such as asbestos, into the annular cav ity between the flange or skirt a and cupshaped part a. Further, instead of a single reinforcement ring Z) I may employ a plurality of reinforcing rings or thelike.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular Wall, a handle for said stopper, the lower part of which is attached to said base, a flange of taperin formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

2. A. stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall, a handle for said stopper the lower part of which is attached to said base, a flange of tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part, an inwardly directed lip at the upper edge of the flange, a split wire within said flange beneath the lip, said flange being adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

3. A stopper for a container comprising in con'ibination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall, a screwed element projecting vertically from the said base, a handle proper for said stopper engaging said screwed element, a flange of'tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall, a tube secured to the base of the cup formation, a handle for said stopper located'in said tube, a flange of taperin formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner sur face of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

5. A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation, an upright cup formation pressed from the base of the inverted one, a handle for said stopper located therein, a flange of tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

6.- A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall, which is of corrugated formation, a handle for said stopper the lower part of which is attached to said base, a flange of tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

7. A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of tubular formation, a transversely dividing disc within said body part constituting the inverted cup formation, a handle for said stopper the lower part of which is located in the upper projecting extremity of the tubular formation, a flange of tapering formation extending upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire Vertical dimension of the flange.

8. A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall a handle for said stopper the lower part of which is attached to said base, a flange of tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part, which flange is slitted at its upper edge and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire vertical dimension of the flange.

9. A stopper for a container comprising in combination a sheet metal central body part of inverted cup formation involving a base and downwardly directed annular wall, a handle for said stopper the lower part of which is attached to said base, a flange of tapering formation extending directly upwardly from the lower edge of the annular wall of the body part and adapted to yield freely and closely associate itself metallically with the inner surface of the mouth of the container over substantially the entire Vertical dimension of the flange, and a disc centrally perforated to accommodate the handle disposed above the central body part and the flange.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST DRUIFF. 

